Are They Dead?
by EleEnchanted
Summary: What if Alice had arrived to late? What if Jake and Renesmee had to run? Never knowing who died... or lived. 7 years after the fateful battle between Cullens and Volturi. Jake and Renesmee return to find the truth. Who lived? Who died?
1. Prologue

Prologue

Dear Renesmee,

If you are reading this then something has gone horribly wrong. I'm sorry I couldn't spend your life, no matter how short or long, with you. I know you're safe with Jacob and hopefully Jasper and Alice too. I love you. I was trying to protect you from my fate. Please understand I love you more than my life I wish I could be with you but I had to protect you. If you don't remember anything ask Jake. I love you, your father does too. I'm sorry he couldn't add anything to this letter. I couldn't tell him about my plan to save you, to save Jake, if I told him I would be delivering the both of you to our enemies. We both love you stay safe.

Love,

Your Mom

Isabella Marie Swan Cullen

I settled back into my soft seat, grasped my locket in one hand, and with the hand intertwined with my boyfriend's clutched my MP3 playing closer. I knew that this trip from South America would change me, Jake, and my life. I began to reread the letter from my mom, memorizing her maiden name, Swan, it was my only clue… other than my memories.


	2. The Ride Home

**The Ride Home**

I looked at the letter my mother had written me so many years ago. I was on a plane headed back to the small town in the United States where I was born, Forks. My mission: find out what had really happened 7 years ago between my family and friends and the Volturi, to find any survivors whether they be wolf-people or vampire; and to carry out mom's final wishes in her letter to Jake, to find Grandpa and Grandma, to give them their letters, and to tell them everything, despite the Volturi and their rules. I knew all their names, thanks to Jake, Bella Cullen: mom, Edward Cullen: dad, Clarlisle and Esme: adoptive grandparents (vampires can't have kids… a male vampire and a female human can though), Alice and Jasper, well I already know where they are; back in the South American village we left a little while ago. Rosalie and Emmet, the rest of the Cullens; and then the Denalis: Kate, Carmen, Eleazer, and Tanya, and everyone else. The wolf-people of course, I could remember Seth, Leah, Quil and Embry. Then mom's parents Charlie, Renée and her second husband Phil. People to find, to trace.

I had to find out the truth. Who had died? For me. Who had lived? I HAD to thank them, to give solace and sympathy; I NEEDED to show that their effort had not all been a waste.

My wolf-boy, my Jake, sat next to me reading his letter from mom. They used to be in love, my mom and Jake, kind of weird. Although as my mom once said to Jake, "I'm sort of used to weird…" A wolf-person imprinting on a vampire, alright I'm half vampire but still, when they're enemies in any traditional vampire's coven that would have caused a feud to rival the Montague's and Capulet's; my family is anything but traditional, we're vegetarian, hunting animals not people.

"What are you thinking about?" Jake asked turning to look at me, wiping a tear off of my cheek with his free hand. I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts I hadn't noticed the tears streaming like a river, I hadn't noticed Jake finishing his letter.

"Mom, Dad, the past. What we'll find." I say as nonchalantly as I could with tears making rivers down my face. Jake sees right through me of course.

"Oh. Listen, Nessie… I'm going to tell you something… but I'm not sure if I should, or not…" Jake trails off, and I know that whatever he had to say would bring my spirits down. Jake imprinted on me the day of my birth and because of that he wanted to give me what I needed. Remembering our unlikely connection made me remember something else.

_A pale skinned, dark haired, red-eyed woman with a button up shirt covering up the top half of her blue skintight dress that had been split up her thighs at the seams; shooting, as if from an arrow, towards my Jake. The woman, my mother a then newborn vampire, had become angry at him for imprinting on me; she had managed to control her temper only to be pushed over when she learned of my nickname, Nessie._

"_You nicknamed my daughter after the _Loch Ness Monster_?" She had screamed, before she had shot towards him._

"Jake just spit it out." I pleaded with a hint of a command in my voice though a fresh sob at the memory of my mother crept through my control. I turned and hid my face in his shoulder while I cried, he already had taken his hands back and placed one arm around my shoulders and started to stroke my hair with his other hand; it was very comforting.

"Bella and Edward loved you very much." Jake hesitantly began. "I'm sure if they had lived they would be looking for you. They probably would have already found you, with your father's talent and your unique smell. Edward could have followed any thoughts that remembered you, as I'm sure people do, and your scent had probably lingered." Suddenly I understood why Jake had a hard time telling me this; he didn't want my spirits crushed in the short run but he didn't want me to feel even more pain than I needed to in the long run. "As for the others, they would have to have been very lucky to survive, we were outnumbered… and when we left, they probably felt demoralized." I managed to stifle my tears so I just pull my head from it's hiding spot and look at him.

"Jake… you've told me all of this before. I know that they probably have died, but I have to make sure. A part of me feels as if they are still out there, somewhere. Finding the truth is not my only motive though, we _have_ to honor mom's last wishes. I need to see if my grandparents, the human ones at least, are still around. I need to meet them and tell them everything, I need to know if they still remember me after 7 years or even believe that I am Bella's and Edward's child. In 7 years I have gone from being a newborn to 18 years old physically, not to mention how mentally and through my maturity I am more like a middle aged woman. Don't worry about Aro." I speak quickly when he opens his mouth to speak. "I talked to Aunt Alice before we left and she said that all was well, and she'll call if she sees anything going wrong. I had to make sure we would be safe." I answered the question in his eyes.

"Your Aunt is an amazing woman but I don't trust her… I feel like she is holding something back from us." Jake says not wanting to start the inevitable fight. Ever since Aunt Alice had caught up to us in Rio after the battle and dodged our questions about survivors; Jake hasn't trusted her quite as much as before. Jake feels like my aunt knows who survived and knows their fate but she doesn't want to tell us. Jake would understand more if he thought that what Alice saw would hurt me but he doesn't think so.

"Jake, Aunt Alice is not holding anything back; she just doesn't see anything pertaining to them." I defend her, secretly agreeing with him but I knew that if it was important then she would tell us. Whenever I ask she just tells me about the weather or the farm we had started.

"Just don't get your hopes to high." Jake warns me.

"I won't Jake. I bet you can't wait to see Billy and everyone else again." I say, I can't help getting my hopes up, quickly changing the subject to something happier than lies. We spend the rest of the plane ride talking, playing games, reading, and sleeping; trying to keep a somber mood from falling on us.

**A/N: So I hoped you all liked that. I know this story is moving slowly and I apologize for that. Chapter 2 got put up so quickly because I had most of it already written out. As a sophomore I can only try to get these out quickly. Please have patience with me, and please review; give me ideas, advice or just comment but I would LOVE to know what you all think.**

**Thanks! **

**I just checked my email, and the first review/story favorite/alert almost made me cry so a shout out to , PDKLMS thompsh1. Thanks so much to the three of you for being reading and that stuff… **

**Hopefully chapter 3 will be up soon.**


	3. The House

**The House**

We spent the hour drive from the airport to Forks in silence.

"Where should we go first?" Jake asked, breaking the silence as we entered Forks.

"Home." I muttered almost missing what I had said. The fuzzy memory hit me almost instantaneously, a pale color scheme, a white couch, and a wall made of glass that could become covered in metal. Once again I wondered at my less than perfect memory, I debated on whether I should bring the fact up but the I knew what Jake would say, I remembered the recent past at least.

"_Jake. You keep telling me how vampires have perfect memories." I said wondering how best to broach the subject.  
_"_Yes. Why?" Jake had asked in return.  
_"_My memory is not perfect though. I barely remember the house, or the Cullens, I remember my parents and Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper but no one else. I can't even remember the fight. I _know_ I looked back while we were running, but I don't remember anything else. I feel… like my memories are fading… That's not normal."  
_"_Don't worry abut it Nessie." Jake had crooned to soothe me. "It's probably just because you're half human and half vampire. You may have vampire speed and sight… but you have a human memory. Edward once said, _'Your memory is like a sieve'_ to a human Bella. Humans forget things, so do you apparently."  
_"_You're probably right Jake." I sighed and caved. I didn't want to start a fight, but I disagreed. This forgetfulness, this fading, felt wrong, unnatural. _

I heard the tires change from the highway to a dirt/gravel road, and awoke from my reverie. I thought Jake knew that I wanted to see Charlie and Renée before beginning my quest for survivors. Then I remembered the word I had whispered, see I can remember recent events. I didn't think I was ready to visit the house I spent the first 4 months of my 7 year life in.

"Jake, when I said home, I meant Charlie's house; not Carlisle's house." I meekly say to him.

"Oh." He said as he stopped the car and turned to look at me, confusion in his eyes. He was probably wondering when I had started calling Charlie's house, I had only visited there twice, home. "I didn't know that you wanted to see Charlie. When you said home I assumed that you had changed your mind and wanted to try to find Bella and Edward."

"I thought we should explain to at least Charlie before… ya'know, looking for mom. Keep going though. I'm curious now." I reply feeling like an idiot.

"OK." Jake replies and he begins driving the same as before, except this time our hands were intertwined with each others. We drive up the long drive and suddenly we enter a meadow, we can see the house and…

"Oh. My. God." I almost scream, the sentence sounding like three different sentences in my shock. I can't feel myself exiting the car and moving forward but I can tell that Jake is following me out of concern. The perfectly manicured lawn, the well taken care of house.

"It's all _exactly_ the same." I mumble, wondering if I'm simply remembering the way the house looked because of the way it's blurring.

"Ssssshhhh. I know. It's okay." Jake soothed me. Wiping away the… tears? I was crying? "Look at it like this." Jake said still soothing me. "If the house is in such great condition then somebody had to have survived to take care of this place."

At least I was not staring at a memory. I think that would have hurt me worst than seeing the house exactly the same. I start walking towards the house, unaware of my actions. I open the door and I fall onto my knees.  
I could tell just by the front room that the whole house was exactly the same, I half expected mom or dad or one of my aunts or uncles to glide down the stairs or prance through the door. At the thought of my vampire relatives the memories come shooting at me.

_A crowd of vampires surrounding three people. An argument, and once the argument ends, declarations of who will fight and who is unsure._

I crawl towards the white couch on my knees and let my face fall onto the cushions. My tears wetting the couch.

_I was in a dark safe space. I could hear a voice. I _loved_ that voice. I _loved, adored_ the woman who was carrying me. I was… hurting that person? _NO!!! _I must never do that again._

Suddenly I was lifted onto somebody's lap and I felt a hand rubbing my back. I cuddled closer to the person crying on their shoulder, automatically assuming that it was Jake.

"Oh Jake! Its just so the SAME!! How can it be? 7 years have gone by and it's EXACTLY the same!!" I stifle my tears and I realize that two things have happened: At the start of my outburst the hand stopped comforting me, this person was not soft like my Jake but granite like my vampire family had been. I look into the face and flee the room I run to the closest safe haven I know of, my old room in the mismatched cottage that my mom compared to a fairytale. I hear Jake's voice shouting at the familiar face but I was too distraught to pay any attention. I was in the cottage, dust was covering everywhere. This fairytale house could cause miracles, coming close to it and I had already found a survivor.

"How? I must find out how… and what happened… but I need to calm down first." That decided I ran to my parent's room and dissolved into tears on their bed.

**A/N: Again thanks so much to those who review this! I love you all!!  
****Who do you guys think will be the returning vampire? PLEASE when you review (if you do) tell me who think it should be… because I have ideas of who I want but I'm not sure yet!! Thanks!!**

**Yet again I'm amazed at how quickly this got put up… for those of you who want to thank someone thank the 2hr time between school and track during which time I am stuck at school to procrastinate and not do homework! **

**I love you all and thank you for reading and reviewing! PLEASE tell me who you think should be the returning vampire.**


	4. What? How? Why?

What? How?... Why?

My tears stop after a while. I pull out my phone and dial. Remembering that soft granite, because that is how vampires feel to me, the tears almost fall again, I stifle them.  
"Hello?" A masculine voice answers, surprising me.  
"Oh! Uncle Jasper… where's Aunt Alice?" I ask wondering why Uncle Jasper answered Aunt Alice's cell.  
"She's helping some of the field hands with the banana grove. Why?"  
"I HAVE to talk to her, it is important." I urgently tell him. My voice is a mixed sound of confusion, sadness, confusion, anger and some urgency.  
"Okay calm down, I'll get her." I hear the sound of his running at human speed and the stress in his voice. Uncle Jasper is probably a little stressed because he cannot calm my hectic emotions over the phone, or maybe something is very wrong at the farm, more like a plantation really… but without the slaves.

"I thought you were going to Charlie's first." Aunt Alice almost yells at me, breaking through my thoughts.  
"Hello Auntie Alice, I'm fine… well except for the fact that I just got one of the biggest… no, THE BIGGEST SHOCK OF MY LIFE!! Thanks for asking how are you?" It really bugs me how Alice rarely asks how we are at the beginning of a conversation, I mean just because you already know doesn't mean that you can disregard the little polite details of a conversation.  
"Okay. Sorry. Hi Nessie. How are you? I'm pretty good just a little stressed." She replies sarcastic and stress do not mix well in her musical voice. Hold on… why is she stressed? Uncle Jasper is with her she should be really calm, and obviously I'm fine… just one more thing to figure out I guess.  
"Now Nessie do you mind telling me why you are at Carlisle's house and not Charlie's?" She repeats.  
"Well we were going to Charlie's but on the plane ride over I kept changing my mind. I wanted to go see Charlie but I knew how much Jake missed Billie so I kept going back and forth between the two. So we reached Forks and then Jake asked me where I wanted to go-" I tell her the whole story.  
"Oh." She says when I'm done, but it is very monotone, as if she has nothing to say about my story.  
"So would you mind telling me why I come to Forks, find a living vampire relative, and you NEVER told me!!" I ask my anger breaking through.  
"Calm down." Alice orders and then sighs, "I can't tell you that, I wish I could but I can't. I promised somebody a long time ago that I would not tell you." She then mutters something like _I should have warned him, he was counting on me, but I couldn't see_. I blow it off, considering I probably heard wrong, so I just do the easiest thing… get mad.  
"Fine." I say and hang up. Her words still running through my head, confusing me.

_I promised somebody a long time ago…_

Who? Who did she promise? I'll find out later, I promise myself then move onto the next task.

I compose myself while straightening the sheets on the bed so that the only way you could tell that I was here is because I cannot put dust back. Afterwards I run straight to my grandparent's house jumping the river. Jake meets me half way.  
"Nessie, you don't have to go back yet. Why don't you visit Charlie first?" Jake is pale but not shaking… I get the feeling that he is hiding something from me, but I immediately dismiss the notion.  
"I'm going in that house and I'm going to find out what the hell happened 7 years ago and why/how he survived and find out what happened to everybody else." I tell him strongly, not harshly but so that he can see that this is what I want… need. I march up to the house, yank open the door and once sitting on the couch call, "Come here please! I want to talk to you!"  
"I'm right here." His voice comes and then he's flitting down the stairs. "What's wrong?"  
"What's wrong?" I mock. "What's wrong is that this house is the same as it was 7 years ago, what's wrong is you being here, alive and not telling me.  
"That's wrong?" He asks, innocent confusion flashing across his pale features.  
"You know what I mean." I retort  
"I guess so." He sighs then opens his arms and smiles. I run into his arms and hug him.  
"Grandpa!" I mutter contently, for now I am content to stand here and hug my Grandfather but soon I need answers, I need to know.  
I pull away and take a step back, as expected he looks exactly the same, golden eyes, pale skin, and blonde hair, exactly the same.  
"So you stopped growing at 18? You are so beautiful; you look just like both your parents."  
"Yep. How does that work? Traits can have co dominance or incomplete dominance."  
"Smart too, what I meant was that if you had a female Edward with half of Bella's features that is you."  
"Oh. Grandpa I have to know. How? How are you alive?" I ask and from the change in his demeanor, from happy and loose to stiff and stressed, I can tell that he has been hoping that this would not come up. I see Jake tense up too, odd I guess he already knows then. Please not to terrible I beg.  
"I… I got lucky." Grandpa Carlisle Cullen hesitantly responds after a long pause.  
"What are you doing here? What happened?" I beg I need the news; I need to make amends for EVERYTHING that happened after the battle.  
"Well this is my home." He smiles while he answers and then his tense demeanor from before returns. "As to the events of that day… I am not at liberty to tell you."  
"Oh." I say, taken aback, then continue, "Well what can you tell me?" I ask a little angrily, everyone seems to have a secret except for me. Maybe Grandpa will know… he is a doctor after all. After this conversation I must bring up my failing memory.  
"That's the problem. I was planning on you seeing Charlie first. I don't know what's against the rules and not…" He trails off thinking hard; I wait patiently hoping for something.  
"AHA!!!" Grandpa exclaims in triumph. "I was planning on your visit to Charlie and maybe Billie before you saw me… at least that was how it was supposed to go. So I will tell you what I am supposed to tell you after you visit Charlie. I can't tell you much but what I can tell you must be said after you speak to Charlie."  
"But-" I start to complain.  
"No buts," he sternly commands, "These are your parent's orders." He adds grimly.  
"Really? But-"  
"After you visit Charlie."  
"Okay… but why?" I wonder aloud.  
"To protect you." Is his enigmatic answer, the next thing I know he has disappeared up the stairs.  
Jake leads me to the car and I start crying again. All the whys, hows and whats running in circles throughout my head.

_What does Alice know that she's not telling me? What does Jake know? What can Charlie possibly know? What happened that day? What does Grandpa know? What are my parent's orders? How did Grandpa Carlisle survive? How can Grandpa Charlie help? How can Grandpa Charlie know anything? How is this protecting me? Why? Why do I have to visit Grandpa Charlie first? Why has the "order" been set? Why does Jake seem like he is hiding something? Why were Aunt Alice and Uncle Jasper so stressed out when I called them? Why? Why can't I know yet? Why?_

_What?_

_How?_

_Why?_

**A/N: SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY!!! I am so sorry that this took so long to come out. I know excuses suck but here are mine: school, tests, track, and planning my birthday party. I know most them suck. The bright side… next week is Spring Break so I will probably get out 1 or 2 chapters (hopefully more.) Keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully you all like this.**

**I would like to thank the people who review and favorite and do anything of that kind, unless you have written something you cannot possibly know how much it is appreciated to know that people like your work.**

**I would also like to say thank you for reviewing.**

**I still need help with who should be alive so please give me werewolves and any vampire who you would like to see live. Also feel free to give me tips, ideas and advice. If you think I should write something in general or want me to please let me know. I really appreciate everything!!**

**Just for reference.  
****Alive: Jacob, Renesmee, Alice, Jasper, and now Carlisle.  
****I would also like to say that I have plans for Edward and Bella.**

**Any and All suggestions are loved. **

**Thanks  
****Love you all  
****QueenEmber**


	5. The Truth The Whole Truth

The Truth... The Whole Truth

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Jake asked me.

I knew what he meant. He was not talking about me breaking down and crying, I probably would. Jake meant if I could flaunt the vampire rules, flaunt the Volturi, flaunt Grandpa's wish to remain on a "need to know" status, and tell Grandpa everything.

"I think I can manage. I have to… for Mom." I reply, quite determinedly if I do say so myself.

I take a deep breath before ringing the doorbell. It takes Charlie awhile to come and get the door, he looks like I imagined him. Some gray hair with most of his original color peeping through, a slightly wrinkled face, but the same underneath. He stands there and stares at us, as if he was looking at a ghost, before ushering us inside and into the living room.

"Bella? What are you doing here? With Jake? Where's Edward, your husband?" He asks directing his questions at me. Bella? I'm his granddaughter, not his daughter… do I look that much like Mom?

"I don't know where Mom or Dad are Grandpa. I have something I need to tell you, Mom told us too. She… went on a long trip and left me in Jake's care, she wrote us both a letter and in Jake's she said to tell you the truth, the whole truth, when I was old enough to tell you… she actually stressed that had to tell you, not Jake, me. She left you and Grandma letters too. I know you only want to know on a need to know basis only… but this is what mom told me to do." I say it carefully, gently. I hope Grandpa gets the importance of this, and will allow us to talk.

"Nessie? But you're 18! It's only been around 7 years since I saw you last! How?" Grandpa exclaims… I guess he didn't pay attention to anything I said.

"Remember? I told you this, Nessie is more special than all of us put together." Jake reminds him, looking slightly apologetic… I wonder why.

"Oh. That's right, I do remember. Can you still… you know…" Grandpa says getting a little red in the face.

"Yep, that' why I still look young. But we didn't come to catch up Charlie; we came to tell you everything. Nessie talked about letters, in my letter was this humongous packet of paper. The packet contained her entire story, from the moment she left Phoenix to an event that took place seven year ago after that event, we don't really know her story. When she left on her… trip, she charged me and Nessie to tell you everything and that's what we have come to do. Will you listen?" Jake tells Grandpa with a straight face.

"Anything that will force me to turn her into the police?" Grandpa asks with a small smile on his face, as if he thought that the idea of Bella commiting a crime was a big joke.

"Some, not much by Bella but some, the Cullens too." Jake replies with a serious matter.

"I don't know…" Grandpa trails off thinking hard, shocked at what Jake just said.

"Grandpa… The story isn't pleasant, it recounts EVERYTHING, and there will be painful memories, betrayal, and fear. EVERYTHING, or almost, will be explained, why Edward left her, why she left Forks for the first time, why she went the second time. EVERYTHING. I'm not sure how you will feel afterwards, or during, the telling but you learn all the secrets." I tell him, trying to be honest but gently at the same time.

"Nessie would tell you the story from Bella's point of view, and I would interrupt once with an account of my thoughts. The story isn't pleasant. It hurt me, because of how much I hurt Bella, but it is the truth. So do you want to listen? Or not?" Jake chimes in.

"I have been warned. I'll listen." Grandpa replies, somewhat awkwardly.

"My mother drove me to the airport with the windows rolled down. It was seventy-five degrees in Phoenix the sky a perfect, cloudless blue. I was wearing my favorite shirt – sleeveless, white eyelet lace; I was wearing it as a farewell gesture. My carry-on item was a parka. In the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State, a small named Forks exists under a near-constant cover of clouds. It rains on this…" I go on telling the tale of my mother; I hope that I look so much like mom that he grasps the truth at once.  
Grandpa never says a word but I can see his emotions on his face: sadness, hatred, amazement, anger, betrayal, disbelief, shock, pain, and happiness. Over and over again, sometimes remaining on his face for a long time and other times quickly replaced by the next emotion. As Jake starts his portion of the tale Grandpa just looks at Jake not knowing what to say or feel, I guess. Grandpa looks as if he wants to say something when Jake finishes but I just start talking again, exactly like we practiced.

"I think it's time for dinner, and then bed." Charlie says after a silence when I finish the tale.

"I'll cook I say." Grandpa just looks surprised

When Grandpa and Jake sit down to eat, Grandpa looks surprised at the amount of food I cooked.

"Why did you make so much food, Nessie?" Grandpa wonders.

"Jake eats a ton of food and you need to eat."

"Oh." Is all Grandpa says in reply.

Grandpa and Jake make Jake a bed on the couch, while I go get our bags from the car. Grandpa looks like he's lost while he's making up the couch and going up to bed.

"Nessie, why don't you sleep in Bella's room?" Grandpa almost commands, but he makes it sound like a question.

"Alright." I make my way to my mom's old room and stifle a scream, only to gasp. Charlie really can't change. Can he? I think. The room is exactly the way Mom described it before leaving to get married. The only difference I see is that it's cleaner and none of her clothes are here. I walk over to the closet and have to stifle another scream. Mom's clothes are here, I guess she didn't bring anything but books with her because of how well she knew Alice.  
A sound startles me and I turn around.

"Oh… it's just you." I say relieved.

"Who did you think it would be?" He says, looking around the room.

"Mom." I reply

"Why would you think that? We don't know what happened to her." Jake says kindly but a little exasperated.

"Look around the room." That's my reply before going to the bathroom to change and brush my teeth.

"I can see why you would think Bella would be here." Jake says sadly, understandingly, "It's exactly how she left it."

"I'm a little hungry, so I think I'm going to take this time to hunt, if you don't mind going to your own bed."

"Why didn't you go while Charlie and I were eating? Do you want me to go with you?" Jake wonders.

"Jake! This is Grandpa's first time having to deal with the supernatural. Did you not see his face, he didn't know how to take it when we were done telling Mom's story. I couldn't just go and say 'While you guys eat I'm going to go hunt. Don't worry Grandpa I'm vegetarian like mom and the rest of that side of the family, so I'll just head to the park.' I'm _sure_ he would have lived through that. I can go by myself. Just think if Grandpa wakes up in the middle of the night and we're both gone. He'll probably think he had a weird dream."

"You and Bella are alike; you both worry about Charlie too much. He's a strong guy. He may have had a weird expression, I would have loved ot see that, but he would not have died. Okay, you're probably right about the dream part. I remember what Bella told us after all." He replies.

"Good night Jake." I saw already on my way towards the window, the same one Dad used… come to think of it Jake used the window too… weird. I shake off the weirdness, and prepare to go.

"See ya Nessie. Good night." Jake says before grabbing my arm and swinging me around to kiss me.

"You know if I was not focused on other things you would not have been able to do that." I tease while I jump out the window. I'm not vampire strong but I am a bit stronger than Jake.

"Yeah right." He retorts before disappearing to his bed.

When I return another visitor is sitting on my bed, waiting for me.

"Bella and Edward were smarter than you two, they were quieter." Grandpa admonishes a little.

"Grandpa! I thought you were sleeping." I quietly exclaim, surprised that he would be awake so early.

"Well you two gave me a lot to think about. I'm not quite sure if I believe it all." He says hesitating a bit. Grandpa seems worried, as if I would bite him.

"I'll help you see that it's true." I say before reaching over and touching his cheek.  
The first thing I show him is Mom, the very first image I have of her. He gasps and pulls back, like everyone does when they first see this.

"What…?" He gasps looking at me like a freak.

"That was Mom, when I first saw her. She had just given birth to me. Let me show you more." I explain before pleading.

"O-Okay." He answers me looking fearful.

I put my hand back on his cheek and I show him everything I can remember about mom. I show him everything I can remember about Dad, then I show him everything I can remember.

"I… I… I need to sleep." He stammers when I finish. I just gave him a lot more to think about.

"I think I believe you though." He tells me, unsure, before he exits the room.

I then fall asleep, when I wake up and go downstairs Jake is gone.

**A/N: I didn't want to post this chapter until I had finished the next one, but plans change and next chapter has taken me such a long time to write, and I still need to finish it, that I decided to just post this one. Hopefully this chapter is good. Please review, I honestly LOVE hearing from you guys and appreciate every single review (wow that sounds cornier than I thought it would.)**

**Tips, Tricks, advice, ideas, who should live, who should die, anything really. I really would love your opinion.**

**Just a reminder:  
****Alive: Renesmee, Jacob, Alice, Jasper, Carlisle and Charlie.  
****I have a plan for Edward and Bella (doesn't Edward and Bella sound better than Bella and Edward… the Edward and Bella just flows better than Bella and Edward.)**

**I have run out of books to read and I would love any and all suggestions.**


	6. Surprise!

Surprise!

I search the house at vampire speed positive Grandpa Charlie is fishing, even though I didn't check to see if his car was gone.

A heavy weight settles on me as my search proves futile. I head to check the last room, the kitchen. I stop in surprise, which startles the man in the chair.

"Oh. Nessie, it's only you. How did you just suddenly appear?" Grandpa Charlie asks in a confused voice.

"I was using my vampire speed. Are you still hungry?" I respond faking normalcy.

"Oh, I haven't yet." Charlie replies while making as if to get up.

"Don't worry about it, I'll make breakfast. So… why aren't you fishing?" I nonchalantly ask him.

"Thanks Nessie. Billie called this morning to cancel, said something about seeing family, or something like that." He mumbles while I quickly (well quickly for human speed) cooked some eggs.

"That's BRILLIANT!!" I exclaim! Charlie looks confused by my outburst so I continue, "You see, before we left Jake phased and whenever we transferred flights Jake would phase. After we touched down here and he phases and came back with a humongous grin on his face. He wouldn't tell me anything about his sudden joy, but when you put that together with Billy's unnatural cancelation it only makes sense. Jake managed to contact some wolf people and let them know we were coming." The burden I felt eased slightly knowing that Jake was probably visiting Billy.

I served the eggs and Grandpa and I eat in silence. I wonder what he's thinking about when I hear a door slam. I jump to my feet wondering what I should do when Jake bursts in.

"Come on! I… you… Charlie… house… come!" He exclaims either in panic or excitement. He grabs my wrist and starts to tug I follow automatically and I feel something bump against me. It's Grandpa Charlie, his face twisted in pain and confusion.

"Take it easy Jake, you're hurting him." I softly tell Jake, still looking at Grandpa Charlie and by Grandpa's expression I can tell Jake eased up. I want to ask what's going on but I know that in his state the best I can get out of him is an incoherent string of stutters and disjointed words; so I follow in silence, sending him calming images and thoughts with my power, to no avail.

We get into our rented car and drive, I'm unsurprised when we get on the highway (it's the only way to go somewhere.) I'm surprised when we get off and head into another small town. There are people with copper or brownish skin and black hair like Jake; I begin to wonder. _Is this Jake's reservation? His tribe, friends, and family?_ Alright the reservation isn't actually Jake's but his great grandfather was the last chief so in a way it is his, but the wolf people thing kinda makes this confusing because the Quileute's have two packs, one lead by Jake and one by Sam. My musings come to an abrupt halt as I hear the car engine turn off, it wasn't a loud engine but I do have vampire hearing, I look around and see we are parked in front of a house.

Jake leads us inside with the same energy as before, this time remembering to be gentle with Grandpa Charlie. We enter the dark house, well for me it's only dim like the when the sun is hiding behind a cloud, and I get uneasy at the trespassing.

"Jake, maybe we should wait until the people who own this house come back." I timidly suggest, unsure if he's calm enough to answer, while taking in my surroundings. There's a couch almost in the center of the room, close to the heater and with a small TV in front of it, the TV is against the wall. Across the room from the TV are an open door and a few feet from the door is a hallway leading to some unknown part of the house. I sense someone or something shift in my peripheral and I turn to face the movement, automatically shifting into a defensive crouch in front of Grandpa Charlie, my main goal to protect him.

"Don't worry," Jake mutters mysteriously, "the owners are home." He seems completely at ease and he's obviously calmed down enough to talk normally. _What is going on? A trap? But Jake couldn't or wouldn't… could he? Did he hurt the owners?_

"Jake who are they? Where are they if they're here?" I ask him, glancing around and sensing another movement turning to face whatever was moving around.

"Well the father is in a wheelchair, he's in the kitchen… and the son… well… the son is me!" He tells me with an odd expression on his face. The lights suddenly flash on and I'm temporarily blinded. I prepare to spring on the closest unfamiliar person when I'm stopped by a noise.

"SURPRISE!!!" The sound of eight people yelling in unison makes me freeze and I look around and see a man in a wheel chair coming in from the kitchen door and six other people standing up from behind furniture or other such hiding places. One of the people comes out of hiding and strides right over to me and gives me a hug, he looks vaguely familiar.

"Seth!" I say, almost awed that I remember, although I quickly recall how much of an older brother he was to me.

"Hey Nessie, you've certainly grown quickly." He says as he pulls out of the hug, and gives me a boyish grin, I grin in return.

"What can I say? Soy lo que estoy. I am what I am." I quickly translate when I see his confused face, "Where's Leah?" I ask surprised that I don't see his slightly over protective sister by his side.

"Oh," He says his face clearing, "Later." He promises.

Seth strides over to Jake's side and I can really take in what he looks like. His face is very similar to how I last remember it, which is surprisingly clear for my faulty memory; he grew a little bit and looks like he put on some muscle, but otherwise the same. Seth is now standing loosely behind Jake and to his left.

"I'm Sam." One of the other's speak, drawing my attention to the other five, my memory strangely growing clearer _I really must speak to Grandpa Carlisle about my memory_, I think before focusing. Sam is standing almost directly in front of me. He has a deep voice and a face that looks old and as if he's been through a lot. He's the alpha of the other pack, I recall, he's been wary of his wolf form ever since he hurt Emily, the girl he imprinted on I think they already had their wedding.

"I'm Paul." A boy standing loosely behind and to the left of Sam (Sam's left) introduces himself. Paul's shorter than Sam and Jake and used to be a loose cannon just waiting to go off, and then he imprinted on one of Jake's sisters, Rachel, and he calmed down.

"I'm Jared." Jared, standing behind and to the right of Sam, introduces himself. He has reddish brown skin and a friendly smile; he imprinted on one of his class mates Kim.

"I'm Embry." Embry reminds me from his spot behind Jake and Seth. He's tall and slender with red brown skin. He seems more reserved than the rest of the boys but there is a playful gleam in his eye.

"I'm Quil." A tall, burly boy with an impish smile greets me. I suspect Quil and Embry got into a lot of trouble and school with each other. He was standing next to Embry, he was also the last to change. He was so happy to finally be in on the secret and get his friends back, then he met the then two Claire and his happiness changed to ecstatic when he imprinted on her.

The line between the two packs is clearly drawn. I briefly wonder what the cause for that it when I remember that there had been at least nine other wolves, last time I saw them.

"Where are the others?" I ask, wondering if the wolves lost any of their brothers, or maybe sisters.

"They didn't come, they already managed to stop phasing mostly because they were getting bored not doing anything, plus they wanted to move on with the rest of their lives." Sam explained to me.

"Oh, thanks." I respond, almost amazed at how grateful my voice sounded.

I continue wondering why the lines are drawn up and trying to remember the day of the fight, instead I find my mind intruding with tidbits of information about the packs, stuff like Jared is Sam's second and Paul is Sam's third. Seth is Jake's third and Leah is Jake's second, Embry and Quil joined Jakes pack after everything else settled down.

"Nice to see you all, but why are we all crammed into Billy's tiny living room?" I ask keeping my voice light.

"We knew you and Jake were coming back and we didn't know how long you too could stay for so we're throwing you guys a part to stay welcome back and safe journey." Billy answered in his timeless voice, before returning to his conversation with Grandpa Charlie. The only difference I see in Billy is some gray in his hair.

"Come on! Let's get this party started!" Seth shouts, and everyone heads to the door, I hang back a little confused.

"We're meeting up with the girls at someone else's house because mine is to small for everyone." Jake explains and I relax and head out to our rental car, knowing appearances are everything.

After arriving at the other house, I didn't quite catch whose, I was introduced to all of the women. Leah who still seemed a little bitter, Emily who radiated happiness and proudly showed off her wedding ring and let me touch her belly, she was pregnant with her first born. Claire who had grown into a big nine years old and after saying hello to me promptly went off to play with Quil. Kim greeted me with her soulful eyes before running off to see Jared, Sue with a kindly air and after greeting me went to go talk to Billy and Grandpa Charlie, maybe one day I'll have to call her Grandma.

There's food, drink, laughter, and games until Billy clears his throat which seems to be a signal as everyone quickly gathers into a loose semi-circle around him and Grandpa Charlie.

"Now for the business part; Nessie we, well Charlie really, have been charged to tell you something. Right before Alice left to find you and Jake she came to Charlie and gave him his lines. Charlie?" Billy's quiet introduction ended and Grandpa Charlie began as if they were reading from a script.

"As Billy said Alice came by to see me, she told me that if you ever stopped by I had to send you on a quest. A quest to find Bella and Edward." Charlie took a deep breath, preparing to continue.

**A/N Ok I know you all hate me for saying that I really write really soon and then leaving you hanging for a few months but life happens. I'm starting my Junior year in high school and I'm trying to make some changes in my life, one of those changes includes posting a chapter every Friday, so I'm not guarantying anything just expressing my goals. The amount of time I have to write could make this goal tricky, I have the time when I'm in class and having a break or waiting for class to start, when I'm procrastinating, and right before bed. **

**I hope you guys don't let your feelings toward the author (me) ruin this story for you. I have started writing the next chapter already but with my writing style that's a little tricky, because I have to wait to type up a chapter before I can actually get down to work on the next one.**

**Just so you know, I did look up and find almost everything in this chapter, some stuff I had to make up, i.e. who Sam's second and third are, or something special about Kim.**

**As a reminder:  
****Alive: Alice, Jasper, Renesmee, Jacob, Charlie, Billy, Carlisle, Seth, Leah, Sam, Jared, Paul, Embry, Quil and I have plans for Bella and Edward.**

**I would LOVE tips, tricks, advice, comment, concerns, etc**


	7. The Cover Story

The Cover Story

_A quest to find Bella and Edward,_ the words reverberated around my head. _Are they dead? Is Jake right? Has Alice been keeping something from us? Are they alive?_

"Take it easy Nessie." Jake calmingly tells me as he guides me to a comfortable couch and sits me down, placing a warm arm around me.

"What do you mean, from Mom and Dad?" I shakily question Grandpa Charlie.

"I'll tell you everything Alice told me. Bella and Edward had to leave, to go to college, without you, she told me not to worry about you because Jake, Jasper, and herself would take care of you. Alice told me that the four of you would go to South America because Jake was transferring school's to broaden his education, or something like that. Alice said that this was the cover story and all I needed to know, since then I was on a need-to-know basis." Grandpa remarks ruefully, "Alice informed me that everything was occurring to protect you. She almost ordered me that when I saw you I had to tell you to see Carlisle, Carlisle would tell you the full story." Grandpa tells me his face softening near the end.

"I… I… I have to go." I mumble through my tears before racing out the door and letting my feet take me home.

**A/N Sorry for such a cliffy and short chapter but I thought it was a good place to end. **

**I'm surprised at how quickly I got this posted BUT I did have it halfway done when I posted the last chapter and finished the chapter during second off on Friday, then during Environmental Science (third period) I decided to end this chapter where I did. I started writing my Authors Note (I write everything by hand and then type it up) during Environmental Science while my teacher babbled on about homework, extra credit, and other unimportant information that I don't really care about. After Envi Sci I sat waiting for my yoga teacher to arrive for fourth period, and finished this which I had already half finished in Envi Sci. My classes are really boring and lame but because it's Junior year they pile on the homework****. I probably should have been studying for my history test I know I'm going to fail (I KNOW I failed it but I did know more events in the American Revolution than I needed to!) or my math test (but math is always really easy and I know I got an A- on the test!) ****Anyways, as nobody cares about the events of yesterday, or my school, I will stop my ramble.  
After this chapter I will start posting every Friday.**

**Thanks and love to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I really appreciate you guys for still enjoying my story despite your frustration with me. **

**As a Reminder!  
****Alive: Renesmee, Jacob, Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, Charlie, Billy, Seth, Sam, Paul, Jared, Embry, Quil, Leah, Sue, Emily, Clair, and Kim.**

**I would love to hear any Tips, Tricks, Advice, Comments, Ideas and your opinions on Who should Live, and Who should Die.**


	8. The Quest

The Quest

_Does this mean Mom and Dad are alive? Who else could be alive? Are the Volturi trying to get rid of everyone else? _As the questions circulate in my head I only know one thing for sure and that is that Jake was right, Alice was keeping something from us; and I'm going to find out what. _I'm going to get the truth out of her_, I promise myself. _After I talk to Carlisle_, I amend.

I can't quite see where I'm going as I run because my tears are still falling fast. I enter familiar woods and decide to go to the cottage before I see Grandpa Carlisle, I want to at least appear calm. _If my family ever adopted a saying it would have to be "appearances are everything" or something similar. _I smile through my tears at the thought. I reach the cottage and head to my room, I open the door and…

"Auntie Alice." I almost groan. Of course my room here would be set up for me, Alice would have taken care of everything, but she should have known that I prefer baby blue, pale lavender, and soft green to hot pink and deep blue. I head to the vanity so I can fix my makeup and calm myself down. I spot a tear in the wall paper and I tear it off hoping it won't ruin the way the room looks, instead of that one little piece coming off all of the wall paper comes off, even the covers on my bed and vanity come off. I let out an audible gasp.

"THANK YOU AUNTIE ALICE!!" I scream, even though I know that despite her extra hearing she can't hear me in South America. The whole room has changed! The walls are pale lavender with pure white trim, the vanity is baby blue with soft green trim and my bed has a soft green comforter, the head board is pure white and the pillows are baby blue and pale lavender. The bed is a Captain's bed, but I know that I won't find anything in the drawers so I softly walk over the smooth sand-colored wood flooring to the white closet doors. I enter the walk in closet and find some jeans and a pale pink t-shirt and put them on, I go back to the vanity and touch up my makeup and pull my hair into a high ponytail.

_Alice has done it again, she managed to pull me out of my depression/sadness with an unexpected surprise._ I smile to myself while I put my updated room in order and throw the wall paper and furniture covers away. How she got the vanity and bed covers to be so realistic I'll never know. I then proceed to walk at human speed to the main house, I use the extra time to order my thoughts.

When I get to the house I head up the flights of stairs and stand before Grandpa Carlisle's office door. I take a deep breath and knock on the door.

"Come in." I hear Grandpa say. I open the door and take a seat across the desk from my Grandpa.

"Tell me the truth." I almost beg, I have to know. Who do I need to console? Who do I have to mourn? It's inconceivable to me that the Volturi wouldn't hunt down every single person who was their ready to fight for me.

"I'll tell you as much as I'm allowed to," He raises a hand to keep me from speaking when he sees me open my mouth, "this was all set up to protect you. I'm not going to blow it to satiate your curiosity. As I was saying, I'm only allowed to fill you in on so much. After the battle, no that is someone else's part. Bella, Edward, and Alice put together a plan, a plan to save you and the rest of us. You and Jacob would have to find out on your own what happened. The two of you would have to find everyone and piece together the truth only then would you be able to face the final hurdle. Alice wouldn't tell anyone what it was; I know she can't see you two but somehow she could partly see what was going on. The Volturi were going to come after us only some would be safe, so we scattered and prepared to wait. The last people you will be lead to are Bella and Edward. In a way the plan has been designed like a scavenger hunt, the only difference is that at any time a piece could be lost. We all keep in touch and keep one step ahead of the Volturi, we refuse to be caught by them. So far nothing has happened to anyone, there have been a few scares but that's to be expected. Alice will contact you if something goes wrong and what to do in that event. For now all you have to do is finish your mission from Bella." Gradpa tells me kindly in his compassionate voice.

I sit there dumbfounded, Carlisle's phone rings and I hear his voice, but I'm in too much shock to actually listen to the words.  
Grandpa picks me up and takes me downstairs, he sets me on the couch before running to the kitchen. He comes back with a glass of water and a fresh sprig of lavender.

"Drink this, and smell the lavender. It should help calm you down." I do as the doctor orders and I can feel it working.

"So to protect me and everyone else I'm not being told the whole story? Just bits and pieces? And I'm being sent on a scavenger hunt to find those pieces?" I ask him with a slight hysterical note to my voice. How I wish Uncle Jasper was here, I could use his calming influence to help me organize my thoughts.

"Why don't you go to the cottage, take a relaxing bath and get some sleep. It will help you organize your thoughts and clear your mind. Jacob will be there soon. You can talk to me in the morning." Grandpa must have recognized the tone of my voice and suggested the very things that would help me calm down and regroup while giving me a reason to do so.

I run back to the cottage as if in a trance. I go to my bathroom and run a hot bath, I add in lavender smelling bubble bath stuff. I let the water relax me and the knots in my shoulders, after my glorious bath I change into a sweatpants and a bright green shirt, crawl into bed and sleep.

**A/N Sorry for not posting this Friday. Hey, at least I'm only a day late! I was going to type this Thursday after school and instead I went to the Center (that's what we call the downtown part of town) with a friend, so then I was going to type and post after that, but instead we had a sleep over at my house. Than the heavens she came! She helped me pick out which dress of mine I should wear to homecoming. Then Friday I was going to type and post after she left but instead I went with her to buy her dress (she cut it REALLY close because the dance is in like 6 hours!!) and then when we got home I was tired so I curled up in a blanket and watched T.V. then I went to the homecoming parade and the football game. In between the game I went to I Love Pho with some friends of mine! I really wanted to go to the mosh pit after the game but my mom said I had to wake up at six (which didn't happen, she tried to wake me up but I just slept through until 10:30!) Then I spent some time on the computer and am just finishing this up. Let's see after I post this I'm either going to read or play a game for like 1.5 hours. Then I'm going to take a shower and get in my dress and get all my make up and accessories together before heading to my friends house to get ready for the dance. It's her last night here so we're going to have fun but be sad, and a couple other friends and I are going to ask the DJ if we can give her a shout out.**

**Sorry for the babble, I tend to do that a lot I guess, and I'm pretty sure that nobody gives a rat's butt as to my day, or plans or woes… anyhoo**

**As a Reminder!  
****Alive: Renesmee, Jacob, Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, Charlie, Billy, Seth, Sam, Paul, Jared, Embry, Quil, Leah, Sue, Emily, Claire, and Kim.**

**I would love to hear any Tips, Tricks, Advice, Comments, Ideas and you opinions on Who should Live, and Who should Die.**


	9. The Past

The Past

I wake up wrapped n somebody's arms; I snuggle closer to his warm body.

"Morning Jake." I whisper while keeping my eyes closed.

"Morning Nessie." Mutters Jake before kissing my forehead.

"Did you manage to find some PJs?" I ask Jake, personally I HATE sleeping in my clothes.

"Yah, in the back of your closet is a tiny dresser for me. I just grabbed some Forks High sweatpants."

"Alice thinks of everything." I mutter, I jump out of bed to head to my bathroom for a shower. Right before I walk out the door I see Jake looking out of place lounging on my bed, as he said he's only in sweatpants. What? I'm not that kind of girl, pervert.

I step into the hot shower the hot water spilling on my back and head relaxing me. I recall how Jake found his way into my bed, I will reiterate for the perverts, not _that_ way.

_I sit up quickly, panting, alone in the dark. I don't know where I am or how I got here. I'm scared shitless though, I try to recall my nightmare but I can't. I see dark figures, shadows, looming towards me instead of eyes these figures have two glowing red coals for eyes._

"_JAKE!" I scream, half hoping he doesn't come; I'm pretty sure the shadows would hurt him. Jake runs in shaking and the figures flee, as if all the shadows have left. Jake sees me sitting in bed trembling, tousled hair big eyes, scared out of my wits._

"_Nessie? What is it?" He asked while crawling onto the bed with me. He smooth's my hair down and rubs my arms before placing me in his lap so he can give me a backrub, he's trying to calm me down._

"_A-a-a… night… mare," I mumble slowly. "But… I forgot… forgot it… the dream… felt… feels… wrong." I barely manage to stutter, I forgot the dream I'm not sure what scares me so much but the fact that I forgot the dream scares me almost as much as the dream itself. The forgetfulness feels wrong as if the Haitian from "Heroes" had come and swiped my memory._

"_Nessie it's ok, calm down. Go to sleep, we can talk to Carlisle about your memory tomorrow." Jake softly whispers._

"_Ok Jake." I mutter. I pull his arms around me and lay down to sleep. I can tell Jake is confused; we tend to operate on a separate room, different bed rule._

"_I need you." I whisper, Jake understands and lays down beside me, pulling me into his arms. I need Jake to protect me while I sleep and in the arms of my protector I begin to relax and drift off._

I shampoo, condition, shave, and wash my body before getting out of the shower. I slowly wrap myself in my towel and pull my hair into a towel before running to my room.

"Out!" I command Jake, "your turn with the shower." I tell him, when he is reluctant to move I push him out of the room and close and lock the door.

I hurry to the closet and pull on the first pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt I find, right now I just want to warm up. I sit down in front of my vanity brush and blow dry my hair, trying not to think, before going to my closet. I pick out a pair of dark wash paint splattered jeans, an ice blue cami, a sky blue see through t-shirt. I get dressed, looking the full length mirror I decide to change into a pair of dark wash boot legged jeans.

Sighing I go and get breakfast for myself, wondering where Jake is when I see a note on the counter,

Nessie,  
Went to visit Dad. Be back before you see Carlisle.  
Jake

I look at Jake's messy scrawl and wonder how he could know when I am going to visit Grandpa Carlisle. We have lived together for a while; he probably knows how long it takes me to get ready. I nod at my logic before making my breakfast; I toast and butter an English muffin while making a cup of hot chocolate complete with nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, brown sugar, milk and whipped cream. I start to eat and sigh in content. I try to put off thinking about the questions I'm going to ask Carlisle and reflect on my past.

I grew up with Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper and Jake. Our cover story is that I was Alice's sister's orphan; Auntie Alice was named my guardian so when my parents died in a drive by shooting she gained custody of me. Jake was Uncle Jasper's brother's adopted son. Jake was orphaned by his biological parents when they died of severe allergic reactions to a wolf, they didn't name a guardian for Jake so he went into an orphanage. Uncle Jasper's brother was a single man who wanted kids so he adopted Jake. The brother had backstage tickets to a Flaming Arrow concert (we said that it was a very popular band in England, I mean nobody in South America will know) and he brought a date. Something went wrong with the pyrotechnics while the brother was looking at them up close, they blew up and he died. Uncle Jasper got custody of Jake and we all moved to South America. We lived quite peacefully in a two story flat over Alice's boutique, Il Vampiro Danzanti. The top floor of the flat consists of five bedrooms, one for Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper, one for me, one for Jake, and the remaining two rooms were converted into closets for me and Auntie Alice, all of us owned custom made clothes from Auntie Alice's boutique; she does custom stuff as part of the rest of her boutique. Jake and I graduated from high school recently and claimed to be taking a gap year between high school and college.

I sit and contemplate wondering how different my life would have been if the Volturi hadn't come after us. I really don't want to face Grandpa Carlisle, I want to know what happened but I'm afraid. Afraid of my quest, of what I'll learn, of my final hurdle. I get up and turn on the computer, I type out an email to my best friend, María Canta.

_¡Hola María!  
__¿Cómo estás? Estoy bastante bien. Encontré a dos de mis abuelos. __Jake ha vuelto a conectar con su familia y amigos. El resto de mi __familia está repartido en el Estados Unidos y de Europa. Planeo en __tratar de hacer un seguimiento de la caída, pero el Volturi están __tratando de cazar__les hacia abajo al mismo tiempo. ¡Es mi culpa de __todos!_

I pause, my hands poised over the keyboard wondering if I should tell her all my troubles. María managed to figure out what Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper are and questioned me about our story, so I told her everything. We became so much closer afterwards, out of my group of friends she was my confident. I start typing again.

_Hay tanto ocurriendo, yo no puedo escribirlo todo. Deseo que usted __estuvo aquí! Embargo, lo suficiente acerca de mí. ¿Cómo estás? __¿Cómo es el Colegio? ¿Está en dormitorio? ¿Quién es su __compañero de cuarto?_

_Que deseen estuvieras aquí,_

_Nessie_

I send the email to María and send similar messages (minus the vampire stuff) to my other friends.

I sit back and mentally and emotionally prepare myself for when Jake and I go to talk to Grandpa Carlisle.

**A/N YAY!!! I finished in time!!! I realize that previously I said that they lived on a farm/plantation, but one of my friends made me realize that a farm is very OOC of Alice so in this chapter I changed it to a boutique. This chapter gave me a bit of a hard time. There are so many scratching outs in the written version of this chapter. This chapter also changed, the idea for this chapter was originally (in my head) she had breakfast went to do her makeup and while doing her makeup she contemplates what she will say to Carlisle and talks to him. BUT with my writing style, the story takes on a life of its own and I'm just a historian paid (I wish!) to write down the story. Tomorrow will be "fun" because I get to take the PSAT which is a practice for this HUGE test (it may even decide where I go to college, yikes!) I take end of this year. I apologize to anyone hates my lack of grammar ::cough cough:: RowLoFo ::cough cough:: but I have always failed at grammar, so yyaahh.**

**The name of Alice's shop is in Italian and Nessie's email is in Spanish. I went to for a translator and it's just the first one in the list. I'm not quite sure if the translations are perfect but I did the best I could being in Spanish 2 and not wanting to mess this up to bad. Just something kinda funny; Nessie's friend, María Canta,** **name means Mary sings, but it does sound really pretty**

**Tips, Tricks, Comments, Ideas, and Concerns are all appreciated. Who you think should live and die, etc. **

**Like any writer I love hearing from you guys, so please if you read and like my story or have questions about my story please review it or pm me!**


	10. Answers

Answers

I turn off the computer, put my dishes away and sit in front of my vanity. I put on my makeup while thinking about what I need to ask Grandpa Carlisle. _What's wrong with my memory? Where are Mom and Dad? What did Grandpa mean by "the Volturi were going to come after us, only some would be safe"? Who will be safe? Why? How exactly is everyone staying safe?_

Jake comes running in at that moment. He gives me a look and I nod, we join hands and run to the main house, we immediately enter the house and walk into Grandpa's office, his door was left open.

"Grandpa… how are you?" I ask faltering, meaning to ask one thing but instead I address the pleasantries.

"I'm good, curious, but good." He calmly tells me.

"Grandpa I have some questions for you and I can assume that you have some for me. Do you want to ask yours first?" I ask, stalling for time.

Grandpa looks me over before answering, "Sure Nessie. Where did you guys go? Alice wouldn't tell us just in case."

"We went to South America, Auntie Alice started a clothing shop called Il Vampiro Danzanti; it's a small boutique that sells high end clothing relatively cheap, Il Vampiro Danzanti also does custom clothes, costumes, ball gowns, basically anything. Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper came up with some very sad cover stories for me and Jake, basically our parents died and named Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper our guardians, my mom was Auntie Alice's sister and Jake's dad was Uncle Jasper's brother's adopted son."

"The Dancing Vampire," Grandpa said and chuckled, "that sounds like Alice. I'm not sure if the Italian is because she likes that language or because she's trying to defy the Volturi."

"Defy the Volturi? How would naming her shop The Dancing Vampire in Italian, which most people in South America do not speak, defy the Volturi?" I ask, personally I loved the name.

I guess defy is the wrong word but I couldn't think of a better word." Grandpa allows before continuing. "There are some legends about vampires, and I bet that Jake was spouting his knowledge of North American Native American legends. Somebody must have put two and two together to figure out the truth, and if a mortal could do that then the Volturi probably would too." _I wonder why the Volturi would be paying attention to a small boutique in South America _I think to myself before grimacing guiltily, something like that had happened. My best friend, María, managed to figure out our secret, the whole story is a story for another day. I quickly blurt out what happened with María to Grandpa.

"Well that answers a couple of my questions, somebody did find out. Unlike us you seem perfectly capable of making normal friends, which leads me to my next question. How much of you is human and how much is vampire?" Grandpa asks me, unable to hide the greedy glint in his eyes. He loves knowledge and I know he loves me but I can't help feeling like a test subject or something.

"I can move at vampire speed, but human speed is more natural and I'm slower than Auntie Alice and Uncle Jasper. I have vampire hearing, smell, and sight but it's a little less powerful than a true vampire's. I have to eat both human food and blood, unlike a true vampire I can become full off of blood. Unlike vampires I can get hot or cold, my skin is only barely harder than a human's, I can't get sick and I'm only a few degrees cooler than Jake. My eye color gets a little darker when I'm thirsty, so it's like a black brown, and more golden when I'm not, so like a brown with golden flecks. As you can probably tell my blood smells really good but there is enough vampire smell in me to keep vampire's from attacking." I give him a complete synopsis of me while sounding bored.

"I see." Grandpa says slowly, digesting the new information.

"Grandpa, like a human my memory seems to fade but I what I do remember is crystal clear. I can remember everything! Except the battle, I know in my soul that as Jake and I were running I looked back, but in my memory I don't remember ANYTHING! It feels wrong! I don't know what's happening to me!" I cry out, close to hysterics. I had started hesitantly but I gradually found my voice and started freaking out. Jake puts a comforting arm around my shoulders and I lean into him. Grandpa just sits there and looks thoughtful.

"I believe you are experiencing selective amnesia, it can be brought on by trauma. It occurs when a person experiences something very traumatic and the memory is forgotten. Another reason for you memory loss could stem from how young your mind was when you experienced the battle, the memory could have been too much for your young mind so your brain blanked out that memory. In both cases the memory is still there just hidden." Grandpa said after thinking for a while. I think over what grandpa says and decide that what he says make sense and one of the two probably is what occurred.

"Where are mom and dad?" I ask after taking a deep breath, I don't expect Grandpa to answer.

"You'll have to find that out for yourself." Grandpa says a bit sympathetically and a bit tauntingly, but not a bad taunting a teasing taunting.

"Well, can't blame a girl for trying." I mutter, "You said that only some would be safe from the Volturi. Why? Who aren't they following?" I question while speaking a little louder, despite the fact that everyone in the room could hear me no matter how quietly I spoke.

"The Volturi are after the vampires, except those that did not stay to fight, like Alistar. They are not coming after those vampires because they do not want to alienate the vampire population and those vampires are probably still loyal to the Volturi. The Volturi also aren't coming after the wolves. Caius is afraid of the wolves, and Aro wants to collect the wolves but not harm them. Aro knows that if he was to try to forcibly collect the wolves there would be a battle during which both sides may assemble fully again and turn into a large waste; and we all know how much Aro hates being wasteful."

"How are you guys staying safe and ahead of the Volturi? I mean don't they have trackers?" I ask out of curiosity. I heard about a couple trackers, James and Demetri, in mom's story.

"Well, we do have Alice. We all know not to depend on her visions too much and that last minute decisions may not get passed around in time but she has been a help. We convinced everyone to become vegetarian, which helps keep us safe." Grandpa informs me.

"How did you convince them? Why is better to be vegetarian?" I wonder. I laugh silently to myself; _this is going to end up being a battle of animal blood vs. human blood, recent vs. traditional_, I stop my musings when I hear Grandpa begin to speak.

"Tanya was being careless, this was about a year after the battle, and she went hunting by herself. A group of the Guard ambushed her, knowing a fight would be useless she surrendered. The Guard took her back to Volterra, the Volturi knew that they couldn't kill her without an excuse; so they locked her up, they didn't feed her. After a couple years they took her to a rural village in England, they then sat back and waited for her to ravage the village. Luckily for her a herd of deer was passing by, she managed to hold her breath and bolt off in the direction of the deer. She drank the deer's blood and managed to escape, she ran back to the rest of the Denali clan and everyone has been so much more careful since. We were already trying to convince everyone else to become vegetarian, not pushing but constantly suggesting it. This incident was the final straw many saw good reasons for switching to animal blood after this, they may slip up everyone once in a while but the Volturi know that they can't use that tactic and that we will put up a fight." Grandpa tells me, sorrowfully and I detect a hint of defiantness in his voice. I'm very relieved that nothing to terrible happened to Tanya, unless Jane visited her daily and she just never mentioned it, but I'm said that Tanya was put in so much danger. Tanya was the third vampire, outside of my family, to accept me; I'm glad everyone else is safer from what happened I can't help but feel that none of this would have happened if I hadn't been around. I feel so guilty!!

"Uh-oh. I know that look." Grandpa says, breaking the silence. "I've seen it so many times before; it's that everything-is-my-fault-and-I-have-to-fix-it look that Edward would give when ever anything happened to Bella, he would always blame himself. Hopefully you aren't as dramatic as your father though and have more sense than him, but then again like father, like daughter as the saying goes." Grandpa lightly claims, attempting to lighten the mood and it kind of works, I start to giggle.

"Ugh, I know what you mean Carlisle. I mean seriously that guy was all like 'Oh Bella, you got a paper cut? I must leave' or all 'Oh Bella it's my fault you met a bunch of shape shifters, I left so you had to find the next dangerous creature.'" Jake quips attempting to mimic my father's voice and I start to laugh.

"' Just because I will always love you.'" I notice the odd looks the other two are giving me, "What? Haven't you two seen Moulin Rouge? It stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Come ON the song is Elephant Love Medley from Moulin Rouge. Urgh, it totally fits! Dad only did all those things because he loved Mom and always will." The two males in the room with just sit there and look confused. I thought Grandpa was smart and Jake, well Jake is Jake. "You two are hopeless," I inform them, "just go watch Moulin Rouge."

"What are you guys going to do next? I know you guys are staying at Charlie's but if you two want to you guys can stay in the cottage." Grandpa asks breaking the silence, and with that the three of us fall into easy conversation. We talk about anything and everything, we all catch up and we discuss what to do next.

**A/N I'm half an hour late, I blame that need to procrastinate that's inside of me. I hope you guys don't mind my random rambles about my life and stuff, 'cuz I think its kinda fun. (Don't worry I know that no one cares!) **

**We did limbo in Yoga and some guys in my class gave our instructor a shirt that says Broga (it's like Brolo, an all male group, for Tolo) and I swear that Boo can read! Boo is one of my cats and I swear he can read! I will be laying in bed reading fanfic and Boo will be next to me looking at the screen and he always leaves when I close my laptop and go to bed.**

**Apologies for the Spanish translation in the last chapter, I heard it was bad and I'm sorry; my only excuse is that I was using an internet translator. I'm also sorry for grammar and other such mistakes, I don't really proofread (usually I'm too tired to do so.)**

**Thanks to everyone who reviews I really love hearing from you guys! 3 Everyone who posts their stuff knows how much a review means.**

**My besties on this site, FriendorFoeUDecided311, The Other, and VampireWitchSpyWannabe are all amazing writers and you should check out their stuff.**

**Tips, Tricks, Ideas, Comments, Questions, Concerns, and Thoughts are all welcomed and loved.**


	11. Vacation

Vacation

I finish putting away my clothes and look around my new/old bedroom. Jake and I decided to live with Grandpa Carlisle for the extent of our stay in Forks, Grandpa Charlie was a little sad to hear that but he perked up when we told him we would visit often. Jake and I also decided that we would spend the next week on vacation, we would not think about our quest or the rest of my family. We even filled up our schedule so that we hopefully would be unable to think but still have fun.

Monday, we'll spend the day visiting with Grandpa Charlie. We figure that visiting him will make us think the most about our quest so we want to get that out of the way. That sounded bad, we want to visit with Grandpa but we don't want to think about our quest.

Tuesday, we are going to be in La Push the whole time with the wolf people, and everyone else in La Push.

Wednesday, we are going to spend the whole day with Billy. Jake really wants to see his dad and I really want to know the man who brought Jake up and helped to be the person he is today.

Thursday, we're going to Seattle with the wolf people and girls. We're running there because it won't take very long, but I hope Claire has ridden on a wolf before.

Friday, I'm hanging out with the La Push girl's and maybe meeting Angela. Jake's going to hang out with his friend. We both need some time to catch up with our friends and I really want to meet my Mom's only human friend who was a true friend to her.

Saturday its back to normal, our vacation ends and the burden falls back on our shoulders. We don't know what the burden is but when we decided on this vacation we both felt a burden lift off of our shoulders.

I know the week will be fun, and probably one of the best weeks for awhile but I can't shake the feeling that I won't be able to forget my quest. I feel like I would be betraying someone if I forget, even for a week. The quest will come back and haunt me when I'm having the most fun, but maybe I can come to terms with it during this week, maybe I can learn to deal with my lot in life. No matter what I will not stop having fun because I'm afraid. Carpe Diem, that's what I say.

**A/N I changed my name from QueenEmber to EleEnchanted, so don't worry (not that you would…)  
Sorry I'm late, I had to clean the house for our Halloween Party last night, and I had to go to a TERRIBLE football game on Friday, the halftime show was AMAZING the band did thriller and even did the dance!!! I LOVE my high school (although I hate the football team we SUX!!)  
I'm SO SORRY! That this chapter is so terrible but I believe that my **_**Twilight**_** fanfiction muse is sleeping, because it was very difficult for me to write. Well when one muse sleeps another awakens, I'm getting inspiration for a CATS fanfiction so be on a look out for that.  
I just got a WordPress blog that will deal with my writing and will include the rambles that I normally put in my Author's Notes. I will also put how I'm doing on a story (ie I might put up a post saying that my **_**Twilight**_** muse is asleep) and if I need help for a story it will be there (ie how should I write my CATS fanfiction.) I would love it if you guys would check it out. The site is…  
e l e e n c h a n t e d. w o r d p r e s s. c o m (Just without the spaces!)  
Tips, Tricks, Ideas, Comments, Questions, Concerns, and Thoughts ****are all welcomed and loved.  
And now my weekly ramble!!! And just so you guys know the only thing I changed was my name and I capitalized Monday… so yah!**

**Sooo....this week Ele isn't writing the authors note, I am. I am a friend of Ele and this has been my favorite part of the chapters. So I am in Pre-Clac block, and I am going to ramble on about the happenings in our school for the past week. On the bus that Ele and I ride home after school, there is this creepy freshmen who decided that he is Ele new best friend. Starting Monday Ele won't have to worry about having to sit next to him because I will start riding the bus again because swim season is officially over for me. Today was also our Halloween Spirit day. Ele and I both dressed up in poodle skirts which made it difficult to do yoga. I ended up changing into pants. So for this first half of class, we were sitting (the girls were sitting) on the floors watching the boys in the class do flips off of the vault in the gymnatstics room. Then our teacher decided that we were going to be unorderly (which is the complete opposite of yoga) by rolling around on the floor doing forwards and backwards rolls. It was really fun, and I basicly ran into Ele doing the backwards ones, because you can't really see where you are going. Anyway, that was the eventfull week. Also Ele is helping my mom and I run a middle school cooking club that will be epic. We work with about 20 middle school kids, and the best part is we get to eat what we make. Most of the time its desserts, but sometimes its other foods. So this ramble is becoming really long, so it is time for me to go....bye.**


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